


The Prickliest Slayer

by orphan_account



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 12:20:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5496863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous earlier.”<br/>“It’s a good thing you know me better than that.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prickliest Slayer

“So, Lucy, I heard you and Natsu were getting pretty friendly on your last quest. Are you two finally ready to make your relationship official?”

Making sure her face doesn’t show her absolute disgust at the idea of dating her best friend, because Lucy loves Natsu, even if it’s not romantically like everyone assumes, is a harder task than one would expect. She really doesn’t want Natsu hearing that she’s making faces at the idea of dating him: hurting Natsu’s feelings is the last thing she wants to do. So she doesn’t make the face she does when she’s sitting at home alone reading Sorcerers’ Weekly’s piece on whether or she and Natsu are secretly dating, instead she just adopts the uncomfortable shrug she’s perfected when it comes to Mirajane. “Don’t count on an announcement any time soon,” she replies, and under her breath adds, “or never.”

Usually that’s the end of the conversation unless Happy or Natsu himself is there to contribute. Instead they’re both out, working with Gray and isn’t that something more interesting to talk about than her non-existent love life. Instead today’s apparently not her day because the already prevalent smell of alcohol that permeates every part of the guild hall becomes strong when Cana slings a dark arm around her own shoulder.

“I don’ believ you!” It’s not even three in the afternoon and she’s already slurring, it’s absolutely not her day.

Lucy finally gives in and grimaces, “Aren’t you supposed to be helping Gramps prepare for the party later, how are you going to be any help if you can’t even stand?” Most of the Card Mage’s weight is supported by her surprisingly strong grip on Lucy’s arm and Lucy’s thankful that she’s sitting on the bar stool because drunk people are basically all dead weight.

Sadly, both Cana are Mirajane are far too experiences with people trying to deflect uncomfortable topics of conversation to fall for her sad attempt at hanging the conversation. “More importantly, what’s this I hear about you and Natsu getting cozy on a mission,” leave it to Cana to sober up the minute there’s gossip to be heard. “You go girl! I didn’t think you had it in you to finally make a move.”

Lucy huffs, leaning forward so that she can cradle her chin in her hands, hoping that might signal to the two that she’s not really interested in talking about it. Instead, Mirajane decides that this is the perfect time to regale the entire guild hall with the details of their last mission. Happy is the most likely traitor, Lucy decides, and he will be punishes accordingly for giving out “Team Natsu Secrets,” secrets which Erza jealously guards. It’s basically the only thing that’s keeping the group together at this point, if they were to go blabbing about the details of all their missions then a) the Master would dissolve the group before any of them could open their mouths to complain and b) they’d never agree to go out on another quest.

Lucy kind of wishes she could leave rather than listen to Mira’s story, but Master was having them all help prepare for the party later, and it really wasn’t worth the walk to her home only to return in an hour. Instead she occupies herself by trying to capture the straw of her smoothie without actually moving her head, Asuka imitating her at a nearby table is enough to coax a smile out of her even if she’s stuck in an uncomfortable situation.

The mission itself had been pretty simple, a wealthy business owner had a haunted villa, a little silly but the payout had been enough for them to take it seriously and for the entire team to get together to do it. It had even been close enough that Natsu had been able to convince them to walk, a day’s work out and camping was worth not hearing Natsu complain about transport. From their arrival it had been obvious that it wasn’t the work of any sort of “poltergeist” and Natsu had assured them that he couldn’t smell any ghosts, instead she and Virgo had hidden in the rafters of the house’s entrance for nearly thirteen hours before they had caught the neighbor’s children breaking in with the use of magic to mess around in the rich man’s house.

It hadn’t been the mission that was causing Mira’s excitement though. The client had been so embarrassed that his ghost was actually a ragtag group of children that he had given them a bonus to keep them quiet, the villa had a sauna that he had offered to all of them. For once Lucy’s skills as an ex-heiress had come in handy and she’d managed to finagle a few days stays at the villa as well, because she had lost sleep in those rafters and she deserved it!

Of course Team Natsu and sauna together only meant one thing, communal baths at Erza’s commands. Lucy feels like she’s getting better at dealing with the whole “my teammates are naked and I’m also naked” thing so she’d been immune by their third and final day. Of course that was when Erza had remembered that she had meant to have Gray look at her new set of armor, (“how effective would this be against demons?” “No idea”) leaving Lucy alone with Natsu in the sauna when Happy came back from buying fish with his reward money.

So there’s more to the story than Natsu and Lucy alone in a tub together, but Lucy’s not about to encourage Mira by contributing to the story. Besides, refuting the eldest Strauss is generally an exercise in futility.

Lucy’s finished with her smoothie and debating trying to make herself a second one by the time Mira remembers that Lucy herself is there. She and Cana had gotten into an argument about whether baths constituted romantic moments because Cana had also shared a bath but that doesn’t really make a good argument against it if Cana’s own interest in a repeat were anything to go by. Honestly, Lucy thinks that if things had turned out differently she wouldn’t have opposed to a relationship with Cana. She still draws the line at Natsu though.

“I just don’t get what you’re so defensive of, there’s nothing wrong with dating a friend,” Lucy jolts in shock, having been focused on whether or not she was stealthy enough to make a smoothie without Mira noticing her, not realizing that she’d already returned her attention back to Lucy.

“That’s hardly the problem,” Lucy almost winces when she realizes that her voice has taken a distinctly defensive tone, “I’m not defensive because he’s my friend: I’m upset because people won’t let us just be friends.” Maybe they’ll take the hint this time, if she angled herself just so maybe they’d realize she didn’t want to keep talking.

Of course they can’t, Cana’s opening her mouth, likely to demand Lucy expand on her words, like she hasn’t talked about this a hundred times before when Lucy feels hands pull her up and out of her seat.

Lucy’s about to start shrieking when she recognizes the strong arms that have her wrapped in a hug that’s more akin to one from on octopus than one from a human being.

She feels a huff against her neck where a head has deposited itself, “If you’re going to compare my hugs to an animal, at least make it something cool.”

“I’d say a python, but Cobra’s aren’t a type of constrictor.”

Erik’s grip tightens and she feels his chest shake against her back with laughter, “At least you know your snakes.”

Lucy smiles, squirming in his grip so that she can face him and give him a proper hug, Erik allows it, seemingly unconcerned with the rest of the guild looking on in confusion. Lucy goes to hug his waist before pausing, wondering if he’s really willing to make their relationship public.

“It’s kind of late at this point, isn’t it?” His one purple eye is crinkling with mirth even as he drapes his arms around her neck and rests his forehead against hers.

Lucy flushes but can’t help but smile, she’ll get an explanation for her long-term boyfriend’s sudden interest in announcing their relationship to the world, one way or another. For now she’s enjoying the expressions her guild mates are making.

 

“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous earlier.”

“It’s a good thing you know me better than that,” Lucy made a face at the spiky red hair, knowing that Erik would hear her intention to do so even if he refused to turn around from where he was hanging lights.

After Crime Sorciere had arrived and Erik had made his spectacle Markarov had put them all to work decorating the guild hall, giving no one time to bombard them with questions. Lucy had taken the opportunity to interrogate her boyfriend.

“It was your idea to not tell Fairy Tail about us!”

Erik didn’t turn around from where he was struggling to hang the lights on the front of guild hall, swearing as it kept falling off. “I was worried that they’d give you a hard time when they found out.”

Lucy snarls, stalking over and grabbing the string of lights from his hands. Refusing to look at him she stretches her arms as she adeptly ties the wire around a window frame. Having done that she turns around so that she’s facing Erik, “So why today? You haven’t mentioned being interested in telling people any time soon.”

“I could hear how annoyed you were at the idea of dating Salamander.” He’s blushing, which is kind of weird, why would he- oh.

Lucy smiles gently at her prickly dragon slayer and she can see him pout at being referred to as prickly, “You did this because I was upset?”

Erik shrugs, but his blush deepens, “I know you’ve had problems with it the past, but I hadn’t heard that it upset you this much.”

“You didn’t have to do this just because I was uncomfortable,” Erik is visibly preparing to refute her so she finishes her sentence quickly, “but I’m glad you did.”

He smiles at her, a simple upturn on one side of his face that never fails to make her feel warm, and leans forward to kiss her on her forehead. “If I’d known people what people were insinuating about you and pinky I would have put an end to those rumors ages ago.

“You _are_ jealous.” She feels him tug her forward into another hug, plastering her against his own chest. Lucy pouts up at him, the tip of her head barely surpassing his chin as he tightens his grip.

“Am not.”

“You are so!”

Erik releases her, stepping back to glare down at her, “I am not jealous of Natsu Dragneel.”

“You’re jealous that people thought he and I were dating.”

Instead of the expected repetition of denial, he leans forward with a mirthful look in his eyes.

“Erik! Don’t you dare!” But before she can even move to run he’s got one hand gripping her hip and another one lifting up her top.

“No! It’s way too cold for this!” Lucy vainly tries to escape his grip, but Erik simply swipes his leg under her feet, bringing them both to the ground. He looms over her, hands prepared to tickle her as she continues to shriek.

“You should have thought of that before you said I was jealous of Salamander.” Lucy squeals as his hands, cold from the weather, brush her uncovered stomach.

“Ah! I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry!” But there’s no respite as Erik focuses on strengthening his assault on her stomach.

“I don’t believe you!” He grins down on her, taking delight in Lucy’s laughter. “Say that I’m not jealous of Dragneel!”

“You’re not jealous of Natsu! You’re not jealous! Someone help me!” Erik gives up tickling and Lucy giggles as he leans down to give her a raspberry, “What are you, five?”

“Only around you.” Lucy grins at him, as he leans up, as if to kiss her properly before collapsing his entire body on hers.

Her body’s still shaking from her laughter and she can feel Erik’s doing the same when the guild hall opens out.

Lucy cranes her head back to see her guild master staring down at the two of them, his eyebrows raised, at least she thinks they are because it’s kind of hard to tell when upside down. Lucy’s sure she and Erik must make quite the scene, her shirt still riding up and her hair a mess from where she’s been rolling around in an attempt to dislodge him, and both of them still giggling.

“I thought I asked you to decorate the guild hall,” he says. She turns her head to make eye contact with her boyfriend, and they both start giggling again.

Erik motions vaguely towards the window, unable to properly articulate that they’ve illuminated approximately one window in the time they’ve been out.

Markarov shakes his head before turning back around muttering about “Kids these days.” Leaving the two of them to keep laughing together.

A few other guild members wander outside in the time it takes them to pull themselves together again and get off the ground. Most of them do a double take, but Mira seems to have recovered enough from the shock to stick her head out of the guild to coo at them when she hears about it.

As Lucy dusts the dirt off her pants and Erik’s helping her fix her hair she lets herself lean back on him. “See, if we hadn’t gone public, we never would have been to do that.”

Erik grumbles, but doesn’t disagree, which Lucy will absolutely take to mean that he’s not unhappy with the outcome.


End file.
